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The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

As Kobe Bryant once said, “There is power in understanding the journey of others to help create your own.” That’s why the Learning Leader Show exists—to understand the journeys of other leaders so that we can better understand our own. This show is full of learnings taught by world-class leaders—personal stories of successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way. Our guests come from diverse backgrounds—CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies, best-selling authors, Navy SEALs, and professional athletes. My role in this endeavor is to talk to the smartest, most creative, always-learning leaders in the world so that we can learn from them as we each create our own journeys.
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Now displaying: 2017
Jul 2, 2017

Episode 212: Max Joseph - Catfish, Leadership, Making It Count, & Pete Berg

Max Joseph is one of the creative minds behind MTV's Catfish and the director of the indie film We Are Your Friends, has teamed up with the social media app Vero to launch a new documentary series, Charismatic Thinker.  He started as an editor, then become a director. He has written, directed, or produced over 64 short films including commercials and web videos. He worked with Casey Nesitat for his famous video for Nike titled, "Make It Count."  It has received more than 25,000,000 views. Recently, he released his latest documentary, DICKS: Do you need to be one to be a successful leader?  It has received critical acclaim and I highly recommend it. (We discussed "the making" of that film during this conversation).

 

Show Notes:

  • Sustained Excellence = Understanding the importance of leading and managing
  • Why make the film about leadership?
    • Max is a nice guy, not a bully... Was one of the bullied
    • He thought, "If I were a dick, would I be more popular?"
      • "Do I need to be a dick to be a good leader?"
  • As the director it is sink or swim... "You're thrown into it. I did not learn how to lead or manage."
  • Sports can be an education in leadership -- If you don't have that growing up, how do you learn how to lead?
  • A Disagreeable Giver -- (Adam Grant) -- Most reduced form of the film. As a protective measure, that is the lesson in being a great leader
  • "I do think you need to, not be a dick, but turn off the empathy meter some..."
  • A leader must
    • Prioritize the greater vision
  • Why he wanted to talk to Pete Berg ("I thought he would say, "You need to be a dick to be a good leader.") Most people said you didn't need to be one to be successful.  Max was looking for someone who said the opposite.
    • His paradigm -- "You need to be a good coach"
  • "All great leaders have a very strong backbone"
  • Max's parents were too supportive
  • "Being a dick is about ego... You're a dick if you're putting people down just to do it."
  • How to make a living as a smart creative:  "I've always wanted to do this. I love all aspects of filmmaking. I went to Hollywood after college to do this."
    • First job was cutting reels for directors -- "Look you're not the next Spielberg, but can you make this DVD?"
  • "I was a curious, excited, young filmmaker"
  • How did he get the job on Catfish?
    • He emailed Neev after the movie came out... The other guy who was supposed to film and be on the TV show dropped out at the last second. Max said yes and the rest is history (6 seasons, 99 episodes)
    • Read the book: The Surrender Experiment
    • "Every time I surrender to my passion, something amazing happens"
  • "Editing is like being a doctor. You need to put things back together after tearing them apart."
    • "I've had to get better at not being a hero"
  • The famous Nike "Make It Count" video with Casey Neistat
    • Max got to LA 13 years ago. Initially he was unhappy. He hated it.
    • He took a vacation backpacking through Europe and thought, "I love editing, there is real passion there"
    • "Just focus on enjoying one thing I love and that will be enough to sustain happiness"
    • Casey called him and asked him to be his first editor
    • He asked him to fly to New York and then travel the world for the Nike video
    • Casey got a tattoo during it... "Do More"
    • Embrace the adventure... Let the project grow from it
  • Advice: "Everyone has a gift... Has a genius for something. I get really unhappy if I don't do what I love for at least an hour a day"
  • Read Big Magic by Liz Gilbert
  • Look up Max on YouTube and Vero

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Leader" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Jun 25, 2017

Episode 211: Vanessa Van Edwards - How To Be Instantly Irresistible

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

"Vulnerability is sexy.  There is science to prove it."

Show Notes:

  • Sustained Excellence = Being a people reader (not a mind reader)
    • Try to listen to others more than anyone else
    • Get to KNOW the person
    • 3 Skills
      • Decoding - Leaders who are able to read others accurately
      • Encoding - Your ability to send accurate signals to others... What can I do to excite others?
      • Self-Regulation
  • The art/science of inspiring others
  • We decide if someone is a winner or a loser... Do they feel pride or shame? If we feel pride, we take up more space, shame = less space
  • Charisma -- How to be instantly irresistible?
  • The most charismatic people
    • High Warmth
    • High Competence
    • Must have both
    • Lucille Ball is a great example. I Love Lucy
  • Do you need high levels of charisma to be an effective leader?
    • You do not need to be extroverted... Or a booming leader
    • Quiet, contemplative types can be phenomenal leaders
  • How to handle a room with a lot of people networking if you're an introvert?
    • Your key in this room is to try and create 1 on 1 conversations. Play to your strengths
    • Don't stand in the center of the room
    • Stand at a high bar table
    • Low light areas
  • Conversation hacks:
    • Sparks - The brain looks for hits, not misses
    • "Anything good happen lately?
    • "Working on anything exciting?"
  • Ask soft yes/no questions...
    • "A really skilled decoder is a better listener than anyone else"
  • "Vulnerability is sexy.  There is science to prove it."
  • "Relatability comes down to ties." -- Saying "Oh, me too" creates a tie with that person.
    • "You want this, I want this..." type speeches
  • The 7 micro-expressions

"The most charismatic people have: high warmth and high competence."

 

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Jun 18, 2017

Episode 210: Noah Kagan - How To Start A Business

Noah Kagan was the #30 employee at Facebook (started there in 2005), and the #4 employee at Mint.com.  He came up with the idea of real-time updates and executed with one engineer (Mark Slee) at Facebook.  He is now the Chief Sumo at Sumo.com (A domain in which he paid $1.5m to own.  We discussed why on this episode).

This episode is different than most in that it was more conversational, and less interview.  There was real-time coaching, and off the cuff conversation about how I should progress The Learning Leader.  If you are uncomfortable with creative use of the English Language (re: use of curse words), then skip this episode.  If not, I think you'll really like it.

"You shouldn't get a job... You should get a career."

Show Notes:

  • Sustained Excellence = Getting feedback from professionals
    • Noah hired pros from NPR to review his interview transcripts.
    • "Most of the time we have too much.  Need to edit it down."
  • How to create a narrative -- The NPA producer changed his life
  • Employees -- "They are not my people. They are people I work with. I don't like the word employee."
  • How do you hold others accountable? -- Autonomy, coaching, help when needed.  Hire correctly.
  • "What I'm great at is starting..."
  • How the quest to India changed Noah's life
  • "You'll almost always push hard on the last lap."
  • The impact Mark Zuckerberg had on him when he worked for him at Facebook
  • "When I was at Facebook, there was a singular focus: Growth."
  • "You shouldn't get a job, get a career." -- "I was a cubicle monkey at Intel"
  • Using a journal to plan your day/week/month
  • "Here is a story I've never shared before..."
  • Why you should always ask yourself..."What's exciting for me?"
  • Why you should go on walks with your spouse/significant other
  • Instead of building something in a month, why not build it by Monday? -- Do it quicker than you think possible
    • You need to constantly try and test it out... Don't overthink it.  Will people pay me for this?  Keep evolving
  • Keys to building your audience
  • "Art of The Deal" is a helpful book
  • Noah's salary?  Low 6 figures
  • "Good people don't work for cheap rates"
  • The two ways to scale a business
    • Technology
    • People
  • What Noah learned about vision --
    • Initially didn't believe in it... But he has matured and fully believes in it. "As I've gotten older..."
    • "It's much easier to get what you want when you know what you want."
  • The impact of Noah's Dad dying had on him
    • "I'm much more protective of my time"

"Good people don't ask for cheap rates."

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why 

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

 

Jun 11, 2017

Episode 209: Jason Redman - The Power Of Being Humble: From A Wounded Navy SEAL

  • Sustained Excellence = Humility... Re-learning how to humble yourself.  Arrogance can ruin you
  • The story of Jay being "ripped in to" by a leader after he made a mistake that could have costs lives... And how that impacted him
  • "Great leaders take a step back... To analyze what happened"
  • "There are no bad teams, just bad leaders"
  • "You have to allow the situation around you to develop before making a decision"
  • How Ranger school helped him stop being selfish, humbled him.
    • Forced to lead in adverse situations, and stop thinking about just himself
  • Story: "I am bleeding out. I can feel my life ebbing away as blood seeps from my body into the Iraqi soil..."
  • "I was hit in the face and my left arm..."
  • How the preparation and training saved his life
  • "If facing death, you won't be thinking about material things"
  • The sign Jay hung up outside his hospital room
  • The Key Tenants
    • Lead Always
    • Overcome All
  • "That journey in the hospital taught me... If you are a leader, lead always"
  • Building mental resiliency, must build an overcome mindset
  • "The woman behind The Trident" -- How his wife Erica acted was heroic (and still is)
    • "She never batted an eye"
    • "When they sent me home, I was a mess, and Erica cared for me.  She was never negative, never questioned me for going to war."
  • The greatest natural leader Jay ever met -- Vince Peterson
    • He always led by example, would never ask you to do something he wouldn't do
    • He lost his leg below his knee
    • "Selfless, servant leader, humble" -- Motivated and inspired you to be better
    • Always remained calculated -- Had the ability to drive the team where it needed to go
    • Took ideas from members of the team, dynamic leadership at it's best
  • Listen as Jay describes how Dave Michaels was shot 27 times, fought back... And then said, "Come get me... They're all dead."
  • The Overcome Academy
    • A way for us to give back to veterans
  • www.OvercomeAcademy.org

Social Media:

Jun 4, 2017

David Novak is Co-Founder, Retired Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands, Inc. (Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell), one of the world’s largest restaurant companies with nearly 43,000 restaurants in more than 130 countries and territories. He stepped down as CEO on January 1, 2015 and retired from Yum! and Yum!’s Board in May 2016.
During his time as CEO, Yum! doubled in size and became a global powerhouse going from approximately 20% of its profits coming from outside the U.S. in 1997 to nearly 70% in 2014.

David is also the best-selling author of multiple books including Taking People With You: The Only Way To Make Big Things Happen.  In May 2016, he founded OGO (O Great One!) a consumer lifestyle brand on a mission to turn the world on to the awesome power of recognition and remedy what he calls the “global recognition deficit.”

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Sustained Excellence = "You must be passionate about what you do."  Warren Buffet said he "tap dances to work everyday." You should strive to do that.
    • Must also be a constant learner/grower. 
    • Have a healthy dissatisfaction for the status quo
  • When people struggle at work, it's typically because they don't like the job
  • What do you say to skeptics about the "do what you love" advice: "Colonel Sanders started KFC late in life with his social security check.  It's never too late."
    • Must be self reflective.  Develop a strategy for yourself.  Do a needs assessment.  Dig hard at understanding yourself.
  • The impact of moving his entire childhood.  Living in 23 states by the 7th grade.  Moved 3 times per year.  Lived in trailer parks most of his childhood.
  • Advice to people early in their career: "Don't wait until you have a management job to lead.  Start doing it immediately."
  • "I tried to learn everything I could from the people above me."
  • "The minute I stopped learning, I asked for another job."
  • "I looked at my boss as my coach.  A good boss should be a coach."
  • The manage 2 up plus 2 down strategy:
    • Make your boss very successful and make his/her boss very successful
    • Help the people directly working for you successful and directly help the people that work for them to be great
  • "Every time I met with the CEO, I always brought 3-5 ideas every time we met.  I always brought value to those meetings."
    • "When a good opportunity came up, he thought of me" 
  • Coaching is an "AND" job -- Tell them what you like AND how they can improve.  Must do both.
    • The 3X5 note card exercise: Write a strength and a developmental area for yourself and share it with others so they know what you're working on. 
  • How can CEOs get people to trust them and tell the truth? -- Ask people what they would do if they had your role.  LISTEN.  
    • "You have to be vulnerable enough to want to know the truth"
  • The power of recognition -- "The secret weapon I had as a leader was to recognize great performance to drive the behaviors we valued"
  • Why people quit their jobs:
    • Their boss
    • They don't feel appreciated
  • Utilize the digital leadership platform
May 28, 2017

 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Liz asks... What makes a great podcast episode? A host is listens, asks good follow up questions... And a guest who understands why they've sustained excellence and can intelligently share quality stories.
  • The great leadership on her son's football team.  Selflessness, diverse... They all made sacrifices.
  • "We've noticed a shift fueled by technology
  • "It's not about having the answer, it's about helping the team find the answer."
  • How should we deal with diminishers?
  • Diminishers don't realize they lack self-awareness -- "Accidental Diminishers"
  • The 5 most prevalent strategies to people use to deal with diminishers:
    • Confront
    • Avoid
    • Quit
    • Quit and Stay
    • Ignore Dimishing behavior
  • If you are being micro-managed, don't judge or exclude -- Instead, be curious, ask why that person is a micro-manager? Think "I wonder why they need to do this?" -- This can change your mindset and create empathy for that person.  It will help you be less upset
  • "Choose to respond with curiosity.  I wonder how they got like that?" -- Be empathetic
  • Google's 5 hiring criteria for leaders: Leaders who can move in and out of leadership roles (one day they are in charge, they next day someone else is... Must be fluid)
  • Impacting cultural change -- Share common language, behavior, belief, norms, legends, heroes, rituals
  • Creating a culture of trust -- In low trust environments, people retreat and regroup.
  • The best leaders are great listeners -- FULLY PRESENT with each person they speak with.
  • "Great executives have a buffer between the stimulus and their response." -- They are measured and know when to take emotion out of their decision making process.
  • Need a container to create space and focus
  • How to create an environment where people do their best work.. 
May 24, 2017

Episode 206: Sam Walker - The Hidden Force That Creates The World's Greatest Teams: Captains

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

  • The 7 Traits of Elite Captains:
    • Extreme doggedness and focus in competition, often to the point of madness
    • A tendency to play aggressively up to, and often beyond, the limits of the rules
    • A willingness to do thankless jobs in the shadow of more acclaimed teammates
    • A bias against making big speeches in favor of continuous practical communication
    • A talent for displaying their commitment and motivating teammates through aggressive nonverbal means
    • An unwavering commitment to defend their principles and speak truth to power
    • The presence of a "kill switch" for shutting off emotion when it's not useful
  • Studying the moment when teams went from good to great
  • Why LeBron James is a unicorn
    • "His model of leadership is completely new."
  • Relation to the business world -- Some of the greatest leaders don't think they deserve the title (job title or to be captain) -- Tim Duncan & Yogi Berra
  • The rituals of Tim Duncan
    • Short conversations with each teammate
    • Great facial expressions
    • Effective messaging
    • Never giving big speeches
  • How to be a charismatic connector like Tim Duncan
  • Great captains (and leaders) are not "yes men." They defend their principles and speak truth to power
  • Jack Lambert purposely left blood on his jersey as a message to his team -- Great captains have a talent for displaying their commitment and motivating teammates through aggressive nonverbal means
  • The ability to develop "emotional maturity." A measured approach
    • As Liz Wiseman said "Great leaders have a buffer between the stimulus and their response"
  • They are able to build resilience

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

 

May 21, 2017
  • Go To www.LearningLeader.com For more information on DHH and this episode
  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • "For me it's falling in love with the work itself..."
    • Being excited to do the actual work everyday... The actual day to day work
  • "I don't have a need to think "What's Next?" -- "I'm thrilled to do the thing I've fallen in love with."
  • How did he become DHH?
  • What percentage of your job do you love and what percent do you dislike?
    • DHH works to minimize the parts he doesn't like
    • Managing others is low on his list of what he loves.
  • "The thought that you can't be innovative if you aren't in the same room is bullshit." -- You can do that remotely, in fact better in most cases.
  • DHH shares why the open office concept is horrible for creative people who like to "get shit done."
  • Remote work gives peace, tranquility, quality
  • Commuting to work can be a wasteful, drain on your life
  • The future of work -- More remote work, more contractors, less full time employees
  • "The office is something you choose to have, you don't need to have it."
  • "The Day I Became A Millionaire"
    • What DHH learned that day... What changed? What didn't
    • "The things that brought happiness were the things I was already doing. I love writing, programming, reading."
    • Will a certain amount of money ever be enough? Ray Kroc said "No."
  • "The human condition does not end because you get rich."  You'll still have problems.
  • Best advice to give to people early in their careers?
    • "Be careful what you wish for.  Managing other people is not in my top 5 things I like to do."
    • "Prove you can execute.  That's the way to get to the executive level. Just simply make shit happen, you get shit done."
    • You have to weigh shipping vs quality
    • Take measured risks, and don't be afraid to make mistakes

 

 David "DHH" Heinemeier Hansson is the creator of Ruby on Rails, founder & CTO at Basecamp(formerly 37signals), best-selling author, Le Mans class-winning racing driver, public speaker, hobbyist photographer, and family man. He is the best selling author of ReWork and Remote: Office Note Required.  You can also read his wildly popular writings on Medium.com/@dhh

May 14, 2017

Episode 204: Dr. Tasha Eurich - How To Become More Self-Aware

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Self Awareness - "I scientifically studied this."
    • "People who work on their Self-Awareness are happier, get more promotions, and lead better lives"
  • It's become a national sport to point out that someone is self-aware -- "I wanted to do the research behind this to truly learn about it"
  • 95% of people think they're self aware -- But only 10%-15% are actually self aware
  • It's vitally important to regularly question your assumptions to become more aware
    • Don't wait for a life event or someone else to tell you to do this. You must work on it daily.  The gains will be incremental (The Compound Effect)
  • "We cannot own other people's journeys, we must own ours."
    • You will work with people who lack awareness. Don't put it on yourself to fix it.
  • Tasha previously worked within a company in the "Wendy Rhoades" role from Billions
  • The Mary Tyler Moore Show -- Her boss -- Picture a "laugh track" behind what someone says to help deal with their lack of awareness
  • Practical ways leaders build self-aware teams and organizations
    • Alan Mulally story of how he gained self-awareness despite starting with very little of it
    • "It shows that anyone can become self-aware"
  • A great leader goes out of their way to build a culture where people can tell the truth."
  • It's vital that the leader is vulnerable -- shares weaknesses and mistakes made
  • Implementing a Business Process Review on a weekly basis
    • Doing this at home with family as well -- Every Sunday, each family member provides updates
  • The Speed of Trust -- Why everything is much faster when built upon the foundation of trust
    • Pixar is the model of Trust.  Ed Catmull shares how they built this.  No leaks to the press.
  • The "Selfie Syndrome" -- "There is a direct impact on social media & narcissism"
    • "Resist the pull of the cult of self"
  • How to promote your own work you're proud of without becoming a self-promoter? -- It's about the work and positively impacting people.
  • Mindfulness practice = Doesn't always have to involve meditation.
    • "Actively noticing the present"
  • Continue Learning:

 
May 7, 2017

Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:

  • They know why they’re there
  • “They always have their eye on the why”
  • “They think about success often”
  • They understand their strengths and weaknesses
  • “Surround yourself with people who compliment your strengths/weaknesses”
  • How did Todd make a quick ascent to CEO?
    • There must be an opportunity and then you “must go like hell when that happens”
    • “I love the outcome, I love the impact we have”
    • “When coming up through the company, I always kept an eye on the overall strategy”
    • “Don’t focus on getting credit for the project.”
    • “Make sure your personal goals and company goals are aligned.”
  • How he does two separate CEO roles? — “Must surround yourself with people you trust”
    • “A strong WE”
  • Calendar/Time Management
    • All meetings are 15 minutes in length — This forces people to get to the point immediately
    • Week unfolds:
      • Front load all staff meetings by 1:00 Monday. Must be done by Monday afternoon — “What are the goals for the week?”
      • Having a chief of staff is important
      • Todd is an introvert and does not do back to back meetings all day.  Needs 30 minutes breaks every 3 meetings to think
      • “You said an important word… And that word is THINK”
  • “As a manager you are responsible for the success of people.” — Management means you have a responsibility for them
    • Must give feedback.  Feedback is a gift.  It’s generous to give feedback.
  • “There’s nothing easier than sharing credit.”
  • “Management is around understanding the differences in people, and getting the best out of them”
  • “Leadership is about painting a vision”
    • Lead with trust
    • Todd’s story of his first client engagement – FAILED… How his boss responded with trust was powerful — “I trust you”
  • When managing through a crisis… BE:
    • Clear
    • Calm
    • Credible
  • How sketch comedy can help you be a better leader
    • Bring your whole self to your job
    • Build emotional intelligence
  • Paying employees to take a class that has nothing to do with work (Learn a second language, guitar lessons, etc)
  • Hiring process:
    • “What are the first 5 things you read everyday?” — “Okay, now tell me the real answer. I want to learn about you, not what you think I want to hear”
      • “I want to hear them defend or support an argument.  It doesn’t matter what it’s about
  • Books to read: The Enders Game — Incredible story about getting the best out of people and creating teams
  • To be a Learning Leader? — “A process of building.  It’s a thing you do.”
    • “Time is a really expensive leader.” “Must always evolve and pick up lessons”

 

Apr 30, 2017

Episode 202: Jenny Blake - Pivot - What Do You Do When Your Back Is Against The Wall?

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"What do you do when your back is against the wall?"

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Great listeners -- Not just doing
    • Getting the right people in the right seats on the bus
    • Design thinking -- Empathy interviews
  • Common problem with CEO's? -- They surround themselves with people who only agree with them and fear disagreeing with them
    • Requires listening and a culture shift
  • Why Jenny left Google
  • Taking a leave of absence to write a book -- The impact that had on Jenny
  • FONT - "Fear Of Not Trying"
  • The process of uprooting her life and moving to NYC
  • What do you do when your back is up against the wall?
    • Think of a basketball player -- "It's not a 180... it's a pivot."
  • "High Net Growth Individuals" -- People always looking to improve, grow, learn...
  • Advice to others -- Don't worry too much on a formal business plan or thinking too far in advance.  You can't predict it.
  • 4 Stage Pivot Method:
    • Plant - Strengths
    • Scan - People, Skills, Projects, Target
    • Pilot - Test. Like a pilot episode of a TV show -- 3 E's - Enjoy, Expert, Expand
    • Launch
  • Taking measured risks -- Great originals take measured risks (don't have to "burn the boats")
  • Mentors -- "Friend-tors"
    • Don't ask a mentor, "How can I help you?" -- Come up with a list of ideas for them and give them away. Proactively help without them asking
  • "You can navigate uncertainty. We're always doing this."
  • Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
  • "Befriend your fear. It's trying to help you based on old scripts."
  • What % of your job do you dislike?
  • The importance of mediation -- Headspace App
  • Gamification -- Daily To Do List

"What does success look like a year from now?"

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Jenny Blake on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Apr 23, 2017

Episode 201: Peter Mallouk - #1 Financial Advisor In America: Tony Robbins Business Partner

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"I was not the greatest student, but I loved learning." - Peter Mallouk on why he earned 4 undergrad degrees, an MBA, a JD, and a CFP

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Realize there is a recipe: Like baking a cake
    • Bring incremental value
    • Energy
    • Discipline to do it over and over and over
  • Why start his business?  Was uncomfortable just doing Estate planning and working with unethical people
  • Key to success
    • Great early hires helped propel Creative Planning
  • Time management tips
    • Focuses on doing what he enjoys most - Spending time with clients and employees, not pointless meetings
  • "My #1 job is to be the best option for our clients as an advisor.  I spend 99% of my time with clients and employees."
  • "I loathe meetings and seminars"
  • Key to all of the awards?
    • "Money follows value" -- In 2008/2009, people started looking for another financial advisor
  • "We are very good at taking someone good and help make them great"
  • Interview process:
    • They receive over 100 job applications per week
    • Resume screen all
    • Pick the 5 best and do a phone screen
    • Bring the best of those 100 (1 person typically) for an in person interview
    • Meet with 6 different people
    • Within the first 30 days, it still feels like an interview "We throw the ball and they better catch it, it's hard."
    • Qualities needed:
      • Education
      • Ability to be detail oriented
      • Great communicator
      • Must be task oriented ("We can't make them be this, they need to have it")
      • Make sure they can meet the clients needs
  • How the Tony Robbins relationship started -- Peter informed Tony that he didn't fully understand what he was talking about (in regards to money)
  • "Tony got pissed off and wrote Money: Master The Game..."
  • What to look for in a business?
    • "Find something that is idiot proof because at some point an idiot will be running the company"
  • The keys to look for in a financial advisor
    • Independent - Gets paid the same on every investment no matter what
  • What response has Peter received from other financial advisors?
    • "It has been negative.  I'm okay if they don't like me.  I'm competing against them, I don't expect us to all get along."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Peter Mallouk on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Apr 16, 2017

Episode 200: AJ Hawk & Keith Hawk - Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"I've always been obsessed with being accountable to the people around me.  I have to be there for them."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of great coaches/leaders:
    • A vividly clear picture of what success looks like
    • Mission/Vision -- Habits built
    • Give coaching feedback
    • Look to help them "My success can only follow the success of others"
    • Show up -- Be there
    • (AJ) They are authentic
    • Clearly communicate -- Jim Tressel was great at this, never had to yell
  • Bad bosses/coaches:
    • When they don't know what to do, they just yell
    • They lose the principle that their job is to help people
    • They only focus on numbers and not their people
  • Being retired
    • "It doesn't mean what it used to"
    • "I now have the freedom to work on only what I want to..."
    • "I like not being on someone else's schedule"
  • Key to quickly earning respect from peers?
    • "Be seen, not heard."
    • "Be accountable to your peers/teammates. Always show up, be consistent."
  • Must find a way to do the important "people" things and not just get caught up in the day to day tasks
  • What do you miss?
    • All of the people used to see daily
  • Micro-Coaching
    • The act of coaching others on the small details that lead to sustained excellence. The importance of doing this on a regular basis. Make it a habit
  • Thoughts as a parent
    • "My job to take you to the door, but it's up to you to go through it and thrive."
    • "You need to compete as much as possible... That creates adversity, which is healthy for a kid."
    • (AJ) "I almost feel like we have to create adversity... We don't want our kids to be spoiled."
  • (To AJ) How will you handle it when your daughter Googles you and sees that you signed a 36 million dollar contract?
  • Creating appreciation for your kids -- Making them earn what they get
    • Recommend your kids spend time around those are who less fortunate so they know how lucky they are
  • What do you hope others say about you?
    • (Keith) - "That I helped them."  "My success can only follow the success of others."  "That I was full of integrity, honest, trustworthy."
    • (AJ) - "Accountable to others, that I was a guy who made other people feel good.  That they never had to question me and whether I would be where I was supposed to be.  That I showed up."
  • When people say "Man, it must be sad that AJ is done with football!" -- Not the case at all.  So grateful that it happened.
    • "Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened."

"Always be there.  Show up. Don't delegate important tasks, be there.  Don't say no if you can say yes.  You have to earn trust."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing AJ Hawk and Keith Hawk on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Apr 9, 2017

Episode 199: John Kralik - The Power of Gratitude (A Simple Act of Gratitude)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Until you are grateful for what you have, you won't get what you want."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Being grateful for what you have will lead to continued excellence
  • How his second divorce impacted him: "The second time around, it's your fault"
  • The power of writing thank you notes -- Learned from his grandfather
  • "Until you are grateful for what you have, you won't get what you want."
  • Writing one thank you note per day for one year
  • "When you're negative, you're angry."
  • His thank you note to his son prompted his son to take him out to lunch... What happened next? Life changing
  • "He took out an envelope and paid me back $4,000 that he owed me." - 
  • Writing all of your employees thank you notes: Why you should do this but most don't
  • "Instead of being mad about my bad clients, I started thanking my good ones." -- The impact this had on John's business was immense
  • "It turns out the one thing I had to be grateful for was my 8 year old daughter." -- "She loved this awful little apartment we lived in"
  • "There are so many things to be grateful for"
  • "When things don't go well, stay positive, stay grateful... Good things WILL happen"
  • How to shift a negative mindset? -- Use a pen, write it out. Write thank you notes.  Use gratitude journals.  Trying to find out the person's address without asking them is part of the fun and the surprise.
  • John has written over 1,100 thank you notes since starting this process
  • Focus on the people supporting you everyday.  Say thank you
  • How to write a great thank you note? -- John describes:
    • 4 Sentences
    • Always start with "thank you"
    • Recognize the gift (or whatever they've done that's created your gratitude)
    • Write one true sentence -- Why you're grateful
    • Tell that person what they mean to you
  • Listen as John reads a thank you note he wrote to his daughter (you might cry).

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing John Kralik on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Apr 2, 2017

Episode 198: Ian Robertson - The Winner Effect AND How Stress Can Make You Better

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Success breeds success.  The mere act of winning makes it more likely you'll win again."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Ability to set goals -- Not too big but not too easy
    • Self belief -- Self Confidence
  • Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic motivation
  • There will always be someone better than you.  The focus should be on improving your own self
  • Why Elon Musk and Steve Jobs transcend the norms
    • "A lot of people suffered in Steve Jobs desire to build those products"
    • Steve and Elon are anomalies, not the norm
  • "To be #1 in the industry is NOT a good goal"
  • What happens to lottery winners a year later? -- "Ashes in your mouth"
  • How the brain is complex
  • What it means to be a bad dad -- Pablo Picasso
  • "Success conveys power... Power changes your brain.  It creates narcissism"
  • Bad Dad's "hide the ladder."  They get up the tree, then do not show others how they got there.
    • "Keep a ladder down for others"
    • "They must see that it's not God Like... That they can do it"
  • Study: Kids -- Those who believe they can do better and influence their IQ, do better in school.
    • With fixed mindset, failure hurts the ego
  • How can stress make you stronger?
    • Tiger Woods example -- Being nervous before a competition is a good thing (with the right mindset)
  • If you have a big presentation and you say to yourself, "I'm nervous." You'll do worse than if you say "I'm really excited."
  • Adopting a challenge mindset, visualizing the reward
    • "Create a challenge mindset"
  • If you're nervous, don't say "I feel calm." That's not true and your brain knows it.  Instead, say "I'm excited."  Use that energy for good.
  • Using the Joe Buck "So What" method -- It can help with irrational fear of disapproval
  • Can too much happiness be bad for you? -- Yes, over protecting our children can be bad.  They need to experience adversity.
  • "Leaders by definition have to have a vision."

"Success conveys power... Power changes your brain."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Ian Robertson on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Mar 26, 2017

Episode 197: Linda Rottenberg - Why Crazy Is A Compliment

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"The Greatest Risk Today Is Not Taking A Risk At All."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Cannot rely too much on assumptions/success of the past
    • Can't stop taking risks
    • Must continually challenge yourself
  • Start "Stealth"
    • Women at Cholorox started testing on the playground.  After proving it worked, they went to their bosses to implement
  • "It's the best time ever to test ideas."
  • Why Linda was called the "Chica Loca" -- "The Crazy Girl"
  • "If you're not called crazy at the beginning of something, you're not thinking big enough"
  • "The greatest risk today is not taking a risk at all"
  • "People have to give themselves permission"
  • "One of the most famous spin offs was Amazon Cloud Services"
  • "The hardest person to convince to do something new is yourself"
  • Lin Manuel Miranda - Hamilton.
  • Think... "Can I afford to not do my idea?"
  • "Don't burn the boats, but you do need to close some doors." The Paradox of Choice
  • The problem with hollow mission statements -- Uber
  • Culture can shift based on the leaders -- Satya Nadella leading Microsoft
    • GE - Beth Comstock
  • MTV - How they found the best secrets through breaking corporate molds
  • "Stop focusing on your PowerPoint... Test, figure it out, then share."
  • Jeff Bezos - 2 Pizza Rule
  • Zig when everyone else zags.  Learn to see the world differently
  • The power of being vulnerability to build trust
    • "We'll follow you anywhere Linda"

"If You're Not Called Crazy At The Beginning Of Something, You're Not Thinking Big Enough"

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Linda Rottenberg on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Mar 19, 2017

Episode 196: Anthony Iannarino - The Only Sales Podcast You'll Ever Need

 

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Who you are matters more than what you do."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Good vs. Great.  What separates the two?
    • Self Discipline - "Me Management"
    • Prospecting - Opportunity Creation
  • "If your dream client could already get the result they wanted, they wouldn't need you"
  • Qualities of the best:
    • Caring
    • Other Oriented
    • Leading with insight
    • "The skill set doesn't matter until the mindset is there"
    • Competitive
  • Is selling an art or a science?
  • Creation of The Sales Blog
  • Consistent processes
    • "I decided I'm a writer... So I write everyday."
  • Asked to do his first keynote after writing everyday for 10 months
  • "The more you work, the more opportunity finds you"
  • EEA for every keynote:
    • Engage & Entertain
    • Educate - Mindset shift
    • Actionable Ideas - Know how to do something different
  • Interview people from the audience before every keynote.  Get to know them, their goals
  • "The best leaders don't look at the scoreboard, they look at the players"
  • Winston Churchill leadership
  • Learn from both the good and the bad leaders -- Take notes
  • "Leadership is the decision to be accountable for a result"
  • "You need to lead NOW.  You can decide to lead whenever you want, wherever you are."
  • "Leadership is a decision. A choice."

"Leadership is the decision to be accountable for a result"

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Anthony Iannarino on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Mar 12, 2017

Episode 195: Derek Thompson - What Makes Something A Hit? (Hit Makers)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Think of speechwriting like a music composer.  Use repetition and choruses."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • What makes something a hit?
    • Is there a formula?  No, there is not a formula... People think there is and that's a mistake
    • Bottom line: "Distribution beats content" -- "This is an unsentimental book"
  • There is power in distribution
  • How did Simon Sinek's TED Talk go viral?
    • It was shared by people with millions of followers on multiple platforms like Reddit
  • Think: Who is my audience? Broadcast your content to the right audience
  • Why do we always watch Dumber and Dumber and Shawshank Redemption?
    • There is nostalgia in art
    • We are always trying to recover existential love
  • How did Bumble spread?
    • Injected into mainstream consciousness through celebrity -- Start with one very attractive sorority and continue to repeat
  • How did Facebook spread?
    • Piggy backed off of other networks (Harvard)
  • How Jon Favreau and President Barack Obama write speeches:
    • They think like musicians
      • Using choruses and repetition
  • The best speeches connect with people where they are -- "The power of repetition in song is remarkable"
  • How has Derek made his book a best-seller?
    • Familiarity and repartition followed by surprise
      • Familiar surprises throughout
      • Great distribution

"We don't like pure originality that much.  We like familiarity." 

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Derek Thompson on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Mar 6, 2017

Episode 194: Nate Checketts - CEO Of Rhone: Leaving Comfort To Make An Impact

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"If I didn't think people could change, then I think life would be less meaningful."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • It's easy to say someone "got lucky" but that is almost never the case
    • Routine - The best have a routine for long term success. Need good years, need good months, need good weeks, need good days.  You must plan for that success.  Create routines
  • Advice from Jack Dorsey:
    • How to stay focused?
      • Focus on one thing at a time
      • Set specific days for certain meetings and do not deviate.  Take ownership of your calendar and schedule
  • Nate's Routine
    • Wake up at 5 am
    • Spritual time, meditation
    • Write in The 5 Minute Journal
    • Exercise, Yoga, Running
    • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - At his desk by 7:30
  • "Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of." - Ben Franklin
  • "Be the dentist of your own calendar"
  • The story of getting Rhone started in 2011
    • Nobody was doing premium menswear
    • Feb. 2013 incorporated
    • Spent an hour each way on the train commuting to his job working on Rhone
  • "Why does it feel like taboo to talk about inspiring men?  It shouldn't"
  • Describing the fund raising process
    • "Raising capital is much more art than science"
    • "The biggest key for us was photography.  People needed to see it"
  • Why Shane Battier is a Rhone guy
  • After raising $8M, how do you decide where to spend that money?
  • Speaking about the success of his Dad, Dave Checketts (CEO of Madison Square Garden, New York Knicks)
    • How to instill a work ethic in your children?
    • What it was like growing up with ultra successful parents and how that impacted him
    • How Nate and his wife parent their children
    • How the quote "He was born on third base and convinced he hit a triple" has motivated Nate
    • How he made money creating a sports camp in his backyard growing up
  • "You can't teach effort"
  • Books to read:
  • Learning Leader = "I love the idea of being an eternal student."

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Nate Checketts on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Feb 27, 2017

 

 

Episode 193: Erik Wahl - How To Rediscover Your Creative Genius

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Performing is not an act of extroversion, it's an act of connection."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • The fascination with "live theatre" -- Erik is a performer on stage (art, speaking, message, theatrical)
  • "Transport so the molecules in the room change"
  • How to reverse engineer what we love
  • What happened after Erik was told that "Art was not his strength"
  • Relationship with money and success -- how it can be unhealthy
  • Why artists have a different take on life... A life of philosophical gratitude
  • "I built this plane as I flew it"
  • Pursue mastery... Be insatiably curious on how to connect with audiences
  • The power of vulnerability and why you should share more of yourself
  • First paid gig? $1,000 in LA -- "I probably sucked."
  • The tipping point to kick off his speaking/performing career
  • The definition of being introverted... Erik is an introvert.  He gains energy from alone time... Stage time is where the energy is spent
  • Erik's writing process -- "Verbal Vomit" -- Fortunate to have great team of editors
  • Why we should all study acting and stand up comedians
  • Thinking, "What will fascinate the audience?"
  • Pre speech routine -- Stretching, meditation.  Taking energy from "Me and giving it to them"
  • Decluttering of the mind. Meditate. Think at a higher level
  • "Art is about producing... Thinking... Expanding consciousness"
  • Understanding the value of being uncomfortable
  • "Money is not important to us, we do not sell my paintings"
  • Why audiences are drawn to authenticity and trust
  • Why we should rehearse creativity on a regular basis
  • How much does Erik get paid per speech now? $40,000
  • New ideas? Holographs, Drones, Cirque Du Soleil
  • "Pursue excellence, pursue mastery... Let the money come where it may"

"Creativity is a muscle that must face resistance to create more... Be stronger."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Erik Wahl on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Feb 20, 2017

 Episode 192: Carey Lohrenz - The 1st Female F-14 Tomcat Pilot: Fearless Leadership, Top Gun, Courage

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"The best have the courage to step up.  Don't ever think others are better than you or they have advantages that you don't.  Step up.  Do the work."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Mindset about how they view setbacks
    • Have a comfort in the uncomfortable
    • They are always learning, constantly striving for more
  • How JJ Watt seems to embrace "the suck"
  • Carey answers the question... "Why was she the first female F-14 Tomcat pilot?"
  • Going to Miramar to train as a fighter pilot -- The experience of it...
    • Some of Carey's classmates flew in the movie Top Gun
  • Call sign: Vixen
  • Where was Carey deployed?  World wide on aircraft carriers.  Discreet missions
    • Carey has landed over 150 times on an aircraft carrier and many times at night
    • Listen to her detailed description of what it's like to fly at night over the ocean (pitch black)
  • An aircraft carrier = "Looks like a postage stamp... I have to land in 1.2 seconds on it"
  • How does Carey overcome the palpable fear?
    • Constant repetition
  • Why write the book Fearless Leadership?
  • The 3 Fundamentals of Fearless Leadership
    • Courage
    • Tenacity
    • Integrity
  • Courage -- You will be filled with self doubt.  "The best have the courage to step up.  The ability to go for it even when they're afraid."
  • "The most successful people I've seen do what they need to do even when they don't want to do it."
  • Keys to building a great culture
    • Be a great wingman
    • Trust
    • Get help with your blind spots - have open lines of communication built on trust
    • Must hold each other accountable
  • What is the military's secret weapon to improvement?
    • Debriefs:
      • What was supposed to happen?
      • What did happen?
      • Why was it different?
      • What can we learn from this?
      • How do we incorporate this next time?
  • The military has the ability and processes in place to learn faster than the competition.  Businesses can do this too, but most don't.
  • It starts with the Leader -- "This is what I did wrong... And how I will fix my mistake."

"I went from Mach 2 to pre-school."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Carey Lohrenz on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Feb 16, 2017

Episode 191: Robert Herjavec - Shark Tank Investor + Listener Q & A

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"You don't have to be born in this country to have success in this country." - Robert Herjavec

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Have a deep passion for their craft
    • They bring a unique value proposition
  • You don't have to come from a big city to make something happen
  • Leadership:  People don't want to be managed, they want to be led... You must provide value to the company
  • Robert's thoughts on immigration and the fact that you don't need to be born in this country to be successful
    • "It's a testament to hope... and it's really hard."
  • "You Don't Have To Be A Shark"
    • "You don't have to be mean to be effective.  Some sharks aren't nice.  Be yourself, be real..."
  • Questions from YOU (the listeners) answered as part of the Q & A portion
    • "What is it that inspired you to start The Learning Leader Show?" -- Mauricio Dulon from La Paz, Bolivia
    • "How do you coach for disciplined execution when all you get from your client are excuses? -- Norma Scott Garrell from Olive Branch, Mississippi
    • "How do you add value as the mentee in a mentor/mentee relationship? -- Ben Arwine from Chicago, IL
    • "What benchmarks do you use to gauge how you're doing in your leadership journey?" -- Brian Westerfield from Troy, OH
    • "Is there any one guest whose advice or experience haunts you (in a good way)? -- Shawn Fuller from Ontario, Canada
    • "What has been the biggest surprise for you in this journey?" -- Ryan Jacobs

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Robert Herjavec on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Feb 13, 2017

Episode 190: Roger Martin - Playing To Win: Strategy Is A Choice

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Strategy is about making specific choices to win in the marketplace.  It requires making explicit choices to do some things and not others."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Relentlessly look at the future
    • They have a curious mindset... Always asking questions
    • They ask: "Is what we're doing sustainable?"
  • Why A.G. Lafley was such a great strategic leader
  • You should always ask the question, "How can I put myself out of business?  And think to innovate based on that answer
  • Marrying innovation and strategic thinking: the dangers of doing this
  • What era does all of our data come from?  The past... Think carefully about that
  • You cannot always "prove" innovation.  You can't always base the future on the past.
  • Aristotle -- Brought us analysis... How to prove/demonstrate something is true
  • You can't ever analyze how to change the world... Steve Jobs would say "Imagine the possibilities."
  • "Strategy is a choice.  Where to play and how to win."
  • Roger explains how to test if you have a real strategy
  • Best advice he's received and given:
    • 1) "Don't start on the easy stuff.  Do the hard tasks first.  If you work on the hardest problems, you'll find that the easier ones seem to disappear
    • 2) Less is more.  Figure out one thing you do really well and focus on it.
    • 3) "Don't intellectualize people."  "Don't try to fool them, treat them as people... As you would want to be treated."
  • Highly successful people make a list of the Top 10 things to do that day and tackle the toughest problems first
  • Managing what matters most -- Must have a strategy to know what's most important
    • Peter Drucker's work -- The Effective Executive

"Too often CEO's will allow what's urgent to crowd out what's really important.  It's wrong to define strategy as following best practices.  This creates sameness and sameness is not a strategy.  It's a recipe for mediocrity."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Roger Martin on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Feb 6, 2017

 

 

Episode 189: Jennifer Mueller - Why Leaders Should Embrace Creative Change

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"If you're calculating risk, then it's not creative."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
    • Mindset to learn
    • Curiosity is the most important
    • Thinking like an inventor... Curious by asking "What does this mean?"
  • Why is their pressure to perform immediately?
    • It's a followers mindset -- Anchor to the competitors and play the rat race game
    • This does not allow you to break away from the competition
    • If you want to change the status quo, you cannot think this way
  • There are no shortcuts...
  • Why write the book?
    • Studied how people generated ideas
    • Was cynical at first, but what Jen learned is that leaders don't know how to manage for innovation
  • Why do ideas get rejected?
    • "If you're calculating risk, then it's not creative."
  • How to give yourself a better shot for the idea to get traction?
    • Give a feedback pitch and not a selling pitch... Ask for feedback and advice
  • Her famous study -- "The Bias Against Creativity"
  • Overcoming the bias against creative leadership
    • Backlash against the people who generate the idea -- It's not good
    • Might be promoting people on out of date measures
    • Mis-reading skill set
  • "Creative Leaders have to ask questions and be curious"
  • "Stop generating ideas, start making impact"
  • Have a change circle... Talk about how you can push your idea through

"Creative leaders must ask questions... And be curious."

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Jennifer Mueller on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

Jan 30, 2017

Professor Finkelstein is a consultant and speaker to senior executives around the globe, as well as an executive coach, focusing on leadership, talent development, corporate governance, learning from mistakes, and strategies for growth. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Management and listed on the “Thinkers 50”, the world's most prestigious ranking of leadership gurus. He has been featured in the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, Business Week, the London Times, Toronto Globe and Mail, Inc, Fast Company, and CNBC, and is a regular columnist for the BBC.

Episode 188: Sydney Finkelstein - How To Be A SuperBoss

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Confidence is the prerequisite to greatness."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Common themes of the best sales professionals:
    • Curiosity - Always looking for answers
    • Courage to go after opportunities
    • They understand in order to be successful, you must help others be successful
  • People who are unconsciously incompetent
    • Not curious - They think they have all the answers
    • Unwillingness to learn
  • Superboss = Someone who helps others
  • Bill Walsh - A bigger coaching tree than any other coach... Why?
    • 1st coach to understand talent well
    • Created a development program for African American coaches
    • He would call other owners and tell them to hire one of his assistants... He helped his people leave him for bigger jobs
    • The best people seek these types of leaders
  • Why is this so rare? 
    • Most think of ways to retain their talent instead of help promote them. This is wrong.
    • You cannot control what other people do.
    • Create an environment that makes people want to work for you. Help them.
  • The difference between a male and female boss
  • What do Superbosses do?
    • They create master-apprentice relationships -- Leonardo DaVinci
    • 1 on 1 conversations with your boss
    • Find someone who will invest time in you and your career. Be that person if you are a boss
    • Create opportunities for your people
    • When you delegate, be hands on with the feedback. Be direct and involved to help
  • Encourage collegiality and simultaneously drive internal competition: Sydney describes how to do this
    • Lorne Michaels creates this at Saturday Night Live
  • Think about the best bossses you've worked for... Why were they the best?
    • What worked for them? For you?
    • Then ask... Am I doing those things? How am I making it work for those who work for me? Each person is unique. Understand that
    • Learn from your own personal experience
  • Using a "Get To Know You" document every year. Personally invest in getting to know your people

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Sydney Finkelstein on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooksFreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

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